Carrying Bikes on a 2003 Scion xA  

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Expert Reply:

The Curt trailer hitch receiver, part # C11488, is confirmed to fit your 2003 Scion xA and is a Class I hitch with a 1-1/4 inch opening. This means you will need hitch adapter that expands to 2 inches in order to use your current bike rack. You need to know first that using an adapter does decrease your hitch's tongue weight capacity by 50 percent.

From my research your Scion isn't rated for towing at all so there really isn't a defined tongue weight. Check your owner's manual to see if it lists a rating. Either way it's going to be very low, maybe 100 pounds at the most if I had to guess, and the adapter is going to cut that down to 50 pounds, which likely isn't enough for a rack and bikes.

In my opinion your best bet is to replace your bike rack with a Class I rack so you can keep all of what tongue weight you have. I recommend the Kuat Beta, part # B202-114, because it weighs about 12-1/2 pounds itself.

Another option is to go with a trunk mount rack. A great option that fits your Scion is the Saris Bones, part # SA805BL for a 2-bike or # SA801BL for a 3-bike. This is also the only way to carry more than 2 bikes on the back of your vehicle since a Class I hitch is always limited to two bikes. This is also your most cost effective option.

expert reply by: Charles S

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